Not only did Bartram Trail defeat heavily favored Palatka Tuesday in the Class 5A regional semifinals, it destroyed the Panthers, rolling to a 74-50 victory in a game that was as stunning as it was unlikely.

Palatka entered the night 26-1, riding a 22-game win streak and had given up 60 points only once all season. Not to mention, the Panthers beat the Bears by 29 earlier in the year.

Still, it was Bartram that didn’t flinch, trailing only once (12-11 after the first quarter) and using a blend of pressure defense and free throw shooting to send home one of the state’s top teams well short of anyone’s expectations.

“We had faith since the beginning,” said senior guard Allie Mano, who led all scorers with 25 points. “We came out from the start ready to beat them. ... It’s great. It’s great for everyone. Everyone wanted it so bad.”

The Bears (22-6) hit 25 of a ridiculous 37 free throws in the fourth quarter. While that inflated the score, it didn’t necessarily distort what really happened.

Bartram frustrated Palatka all night. After the opening quarter, Bartram led by double digits heading into each break. With the fourth quarter ready to start, the Bears enjoyed a 10-point cushion and coach Ben Windle began to deploy a strategy he first tried against Nease in a game late in the season.

Bartram began to dominate the ball, putting it in Mano’s hands and forcing Palatka to break out of its defense.

Mano’s ball handling was secure and Palatka had no choice but to foul, foul and continue to foul as the game winded down.

Mano made the Panthers pay, scoring 10 points from the free throw in the final quarter. As a team, Bartram scored 25 of its 29 points from the line.

“We knew free throws would play a huge part in the game,” Mano said. “We practice them all the time. We were just ready for them this time. The last time we played them we didn’t know what to expect and they shocked us. This time, we knew what to expect.”

Windle said when he went back and watched film he realized he had a chance. It’s hard to understand why when you consider it was the worst loss he’s had since his first game coaching almost four years ago.

“When I went back and watched the film I realized how bad we played,” Windle said. “They’re a great team. But it was also a combination of how bad we were in that game.”

Clearly, he was right.

Despite being athletically dominated at nearly every position, Bartram grabbed momentum as soon as the whistle blew.

Bartram led 7-1 on 3-pointers by Mano and Melissa Coggins. The Bears squandered that advantage late in the quarter, with Palatka going on a 7-1 run to close it out. Yet, regardless of the score, Bartram was able to accomplish something equally valuable. By surviving the opening minutes, and even leading for most of them, it was clear Bartram wasn’t going to fold early.

“I’m just so freaking proud of my girls,” Windle said. “All week they believed. ... Our defensive effort was the difference in the game. They went out and played their hearts out.”

The second quarter turned the game for good. Coggins opened with a 3-pointer and the run was on.

The Bears won the quarter 20-8 and visibly frustrated the Panthers.

Palatka couldn’t get any solid play out of its talented guards. Freshman center Jonell Williams was the lone Palatka player to hit double figures with 20 points. Kiesha Parler was next with eight.

Remember, this is the same team that beat Belleview 74-0 earlier in the year and playoff-bound North Marion 80-8.

Bartram managed to erase a season of dominance with 12 minutes of success.

In the second half, Palatka got as close as eight after a 3-pointer by Shelisa Oliver cut the deficit to 41-33. Mano added a free throw and then scored three points on a basket plus a foul that extended the gap to 12 and essentially sealed the game.

Palatka started the final quarter already in the double bonus and had no real answer for Windle’s strategy.

“I was trying it out in that Nease game, because I knew if I got up by four or five possessions in this game I could use it again,” Windle said.

Mano, as she’s been the whole season for a young Bartram team, was the key. Palatka couldn’t contain her and force the ball into someone else’s hands. She was remarkably poised down the stretch and continued to widen the margin as Palatka tried to stop the clock.

And when she did hand it off, her teammates didn’t disappoint. Freshman Brooke Barlow was 9 of 10 from the line and scored 11 points.

Coggins, who has been streaky all season, gave the Bears breathing room in the first half and finished with three from behind the arc and 14 points. Sarah Ragland added 10 points, which was impressive on its own considering she battled Williams, who at first glance, looked nearly twice her size.

“I can’t say enough. This is the biggest win we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said Windle, who made it to the regional finals in 2009, only to lose to Pine Forest 73-51. “Just because of how badly they beat us the last time and everything else involved.”

The Bears will host Gulf (New Port Richey) Saturday at 7 p.m. in the regional finals for a shot to go to the final four.